Metalworking machinery



July 11, 1944.

D. E. MILLS ET AL METALWORKING MACHINERY Filed Nov. 24, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS DAVID E. MILLS WILLIAM H.H DRAKE EZLAUBAGH HOWAR Y H, 1944- D. E. MILLS 51- AL 2,353,580

V METALWORKING MACHINERY Filed Nov. 24, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS DAVID E.M|LL$ WILLIAM H.H.DRAKE HOWARD E.l AUBAGH BY I I Patented July 11, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METALWORKING MACHINERY Application November 24, 1942, Serial No. 466,755

4 Claims.

This invention relates to metal working machinery such as shapers, and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a shape'r with novel means for shifting or adjusting the position of the ram relative to the ram carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shaper with novel means for automatically leek ing the ram relative to the ram carrier in any adjusted position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shaper with novel drive means between the ram screw and ram carrier.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a shaper with novel means for automatically and positively locking the ram carrier to the ram screw after each adjustment of the ram relative to said ram carrier.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shaper with a ram which is characterized by its strength and lightness of weight.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shaper with a ram which is characterized by the absence of a longitudinal clamping screw slot and clamping screw assemblage.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a shaper with a ram which is characterized by its ability to resist distortion and warping incident to the operation of machining guideways thereon.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein, and as disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side view of a shaper embodyin a ram of the present invention, parts being broken away for clarity of detail.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a ram embodying the present invention provided with fully automatic means for locking the ram carrier to the ram screw.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the automatic ram carrier locking mechanism of Fig. 2, looking toward the tool head.

The present invention is primarily directed, among other things, to a method of and means for positively and automatically locking the ram of a shaper relative to its ram carrier in any adjusted position.

Heretofore it has been common practice in metal working machinery to lock the ram of a shaper relative to its ram carrier, in an adjusted position, by means of the clamping action of a screw which was utilized to draw adjacent 1o adjustment of the ram relative to its ram carrier.

The ram was adapted to be locked relative to the ram carrier, in adjusted. position, by tightening down on a nut or looking handle threaded onto the upper end of the clamping screw whereby cooperating faces of the ram carrier and ram hous ing would be drawn together for frictionally locking the two parts against further relative movement.

Ram locking means of this general type were characterized by the following three objection'al features: (1) The effectiveness of the ram locking device was a function of and directly proportional to the load applied to the clamping screw. In actual practic it was not uncommon for oper- 5 ators to batter a locking handle with sledge hammers, and the like, in order to increase or augment the ability of the clamping screw to lock the ram relative to the ram carrier. (2) Such ram looking devices required a positive and deliberate act on the part of an operator in order to be rendered effective; consequently a shaper could be operated with the ram locking means in an unlocked position, with disastrous results. (3) The longitudinal clamping screw slot provided in the crown of the ram housing weakened it structurally with the result that the weight of the ram was increased by approximately 30% of the weight required if such a slot were omitted. The presence of a longitudinal slot in the crown of the ram likewise complicated and slowed down the process of machining V ways on the ram housing in order to prevent deflection of the housing during the machining operations.

The ram locking device of the present invention is adapted to automatically and positively lock the ram carrier relative to the ram screw of a shaper in any adjustedposition. The structural form ofthe locking device of the present invention eliminates entirely the need of a longitudinal slot in the crown of the ram housing whereby the ram may be made up to. 30% lighter in weight. than older types of slotted. ram housings, without impairing the strength or ruggedness of the, ram.

By thus providing a lighter weight ram, the

portions of the ram and ram carrier together in..5, shaper may be operated at a faster rate of speed without increasing the load upon the driving mechanism whereby the overall efficiency of the shaper is materially improved. It has been observed that V ways may be readily machined on the ram housing without distortion or deflection of the ram, thus facilitating production.

With reference to Fig. l, the numeral 10 denotes the frame of a. shaper, I I the work support table, l2 the ram mounted for reciprocation relative to frame and table II, and [3 the tool head carried by the ram. A reciprocating motion may be imparted to the ram by any appropriate driving mechanism which may, by way of example, include an oscillatable rocker arm l4 having a free upper end connected by link [5 to the lower portion l6 of ram carrier l1.

Means for oscillating rocker arm [4 may be located within frame ID, as may means for controlling the amplitude or stroke of said arm. Adjustment of the stroke of the rocker arm l4, which determines the stroke of ram l2, may be regulated from the squared ended shaft l8, through suitable mechanisms, such as, by way of example, are more fully disclosed and described in the O. H. Nobel et a1. United States Patent No. 2,024,535.

It should be observed that the present invention is not directed to nor concerned with the structural details of a shaper other than the ram assembly disclosed in Fig. 2 and in the cut away portion of Fig. 1.

Ram l2 may be longitudinally shifted relative to ram carrier I! by means of ram screw [9 which is rotatable by means of shaft 28, and gears 2| and 22. With particular reference to Fig. 2, it will be noted that one end of the ram screw may be journaled in bushing 23 to the rear end of the ram housing, and that the other end of the screw may be journaled in a two piece support bushing 24 comprising an upper portion 25' secured to and carried by the ram-housing, and a lower portion 26 which maybe secured to the upper portion 25 by means of bolts 21, or the like. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the ram screw is fixed against endwise movement relative to the ram housing and is placed under tension by means of nuts 26 and 29 whichthreadedly engage the opposite ends of the ram screw. Thrust bearings, denoted generally by the numeral 30 may be interposed between the adjacent faces of bushing 23 and nut 28, and bushing 24 and nut 29, as illustrated.

That portion of the ram screw. intermediate the end may be provided with external threads 3| which, in Fig. 2 extend from point J to K. Miter gear 2| may be secured to screw l9 between bushing 24 and point J, for locating the ram adjustment shaft adjacent the tool head end of the ram.

Relative movement between the ram and ram carrier is obtained by means of a pair of ram upper portion 36 of the ram carrier 11.

As disclosed in Fig. 2 the ram carrier nuts are internally threaded and comprise body portions 31 and enlarged collar portions 38. These nuts are assembled on the ram screw with the collar portions disposed outermost and with a spring 33disposed around the body portions 3'! for nor- .mally rotating said nuts in opposite directions on the screw. The opposite ends of said spring may terminate in outturned legs 46 which are adapted to be received within openings 4! provided in collars 38.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention thrust bearings 42 and 43 may be interposed between the outer faces of the collar portions 38 of the ram carrier nuts and abutment faces 44 and 45 respectively. Abutments 34 and 35 may be provided with a passageway 43 through which the ram screw is adapted to slidably extend, said passageways functioning to guide and maintain axial alignment of the ram screw.

With reference now to Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive, it will be observed that collars 38 are undercut to provide stop faces 41 which are adapted to engage or abut surfaces 48 of the upper portion 36 of the ram carrier for limiting rotation of the ram carrier nuts relative to the ram carrier incident to rotation of the ram screw relative to the ram carrier nuts. Preferably, the stop faces 41 and abutment surfaces 48 are adapted to limit rotation of the ram screw nuts relative to the ram screw to less than one-half a turn, for reasons hereinafter made more fully apparent.

The ram screw, ram carrier and ram carrier nuts may be assembled by introducing one end of the ram screw through an abutment passageway 46, then axially aligning the thrust bearings 42 and 43 and the ram carrier nuts 32 and 33 between the abutments 34 and 35, then introducing the ram screw through said bearings and nuts and thence through the passageway of the other abutment for securing the upper portion of the ram carrier to the ram screw, after which the ram screw may be rotatably journaled, under tension between nuts 28 and 29 to the ram housing. The upper portion 36 of the ram housing may then be secured to the lower portion I6 by means of bolts 49, or the like, for coupling the assemblage.

In operation, the device functions as follows: The ram screw nuts 32 and 33 are normally urged in opposite directions toward abutment 34 and 35 respectively, by means of spring 39 for effecting a jam-nut-type of locking engagement between the ram carrier and the ram screw. On its forward, or cutting stroke, the ram is pulled forwardly by the force transmitted from the ram carrier to the ram screw through collar 38 of nut 33, thrust bearing 43 and abutment 35, whereas on the rearward stroke the ram is pulled rearwardly by the force transmitted from the ram carrier to the ram screw via collar 38 of nut 34, thrust bearing 42 and abutment 34. It should be observed that the means utilized to effect adjustment and locking of the ram relative to the ram carrier are the same means utilized to transmit the reciprocating motion of the ram carrier to the ram.

Whenever it becomes desirable or necessary to adjust the ram relative to the ram carrier, the ram screw may be rotated by means of shaft 20. If ram screw l9 be rotated to move the ram forwardly, that is, to the left in Figs. 1 and 2, collar 38 of ram carrier nut 32 will be urged toward and remain in contact with abutment 34 of the ram carrier through bearing 42, whereas ram carrier nut 33 will be rotated with the ram screw and against the counterforce of spring 39 toward ram carrier nut 32 thereby clearing contact with abutment 35, and/or with thrust bearing 43 for permitting free rotation of the ram screw relative to the abutments of the ram carrier. As soon as rotation of ram screw I9 is stopped, spring 39 will rotate, or tend to rotate, ram carrier nut 33 toward abutment 35 for effectram'screw in adjusted position after each ing a jamming against or looking contact with said abutment. In the event that nut 33 is not fully moved to a jamming or locking contact with abutment 35, such a locking contact may be effected by back rotating the ram screw by a few degrees, however, in any event a locking action will be effected incident to the first forward or cutting stroke of the ram, wherefore it will be observed that the ram carrier will be automatically and positively locked relative to the rotation of the ram screw.

In the event that ram l2 be moved rearwardly, that is to the right in Figs. 1 and 2, collar 38 of ram carrier nut 33 will remain in contact with abutment 35 of the ram carrier and'ram carrier nut 32 will be rotated with the ram screw against the counterforce of spring 39 and away from abutment 34, thereby breaking the locking contact with said abutment for permitting free rotation of the ram screw relative to the ram carrier.

' It will be observed that the lateral distance between spaced abutments 34 and 35 is of a dimension equal to the width of the ram carrier nuts 32 and 33 plus a clearance dimension which is equal to the lateral distance by which a nut must be backed away from its abutment in order to break the locking action of the nut on the screw and for facilitating rotation of the ram screw relative to the ram carrier. In those instances where thrust bearings such as 42 and 43 are interposed between nuts 32 and 33 and their respective abutments 34 and 35, the lateral distance between the abutments will be increased by the sum of the widths of said bearings.

In actual practice the amount by which a ram screw nut is backed away from its abutment in order to break the locking action between the ram screw and ram carrier is but a fraction of a turn, wherefore stop faces ll of the ram screw nuts may be related to surfaces 48 of the ram carrier so as to limit the relative rotation of a ram screw nut relative to the ram screw to less than a half turn.

With reference now to Fig. 3, it will be observed that a ram carrier gib 50 may be carried by the ram for engaging and supporting flange 5! of the upper portion of the ram carrier. Gibs 5d are adapted to support and remove the weight of the upper portion 36 of the ram carrier from the ram screw I9 during adjustment of the ram relative to the ram carrier. Gibs 50 may be held in place by means of bolts I49, or the like.

As best illustrated in Fig. 2, stop means are preferably provided for limiting the travel of the ram relative to the ram carrier. One such stop may comprise an annular collar 53 which may be secured to and carried by the ram screw. The rearward face 54 of the upper portion of the ram carrier is adapted to abut collar 53 for determining the forwardmost position which the ram may assume relative to the ram carrier. The rearward position which the ram may assume relative to the ram carrier is determined by contact of stop pin 55, carried by the lower portion 26 of bushing member 24, with the forward face 56 of the ram carrier.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the need for a longitudinal slot in the crown portion of the ram housing has been eifectively dispensed with, and in lieu thereof but one small shaft opening and boss, indicated generally in the drawings by the numeral I00, is provided through and in the ram housing near or adjacent the open, tool head end thereof. As disclosed in Fig. 2, the ram housing comprises an elongated dome shaped body portion open at its front end, as at lfll, and closed at its rear end )2. Said body portion is continuous except for the control shaft opening and boss Hid.

Shop practice has conclusively demonstrated that thepresent ram with its continuous body portion can be made up to 30% lighter in-weight than other rams of like size, without sacrificing the tructural features required of shaper rains. it has likewise been observed that the ways i 63 may be machined onto the lower open edge of the ram housing without danger of deflection or distortion of the casting "during such machining operation thereby decreasing the unit such rams.

We claim:

1. The combinationwith a shaper including a ram, a rotatable ram screw secured to and carried by said ram, means for rotating said ram screw, a ram. carrier, means for imparting a reciprocating motion to said carrier, of a pair of ram screw nuts threadably engaging said ram screw, a of upstanding spaced abutments secured to and carried by said ram carrier and including a passageway through which the ram screw may slidably extend, said ram screw nuts located between said abutments, means interconnecting said nuts for rotating them in opposite directions into abutting relationship with said abutments, cooperating means on said ram carrier and said nuts for limiting the amount by which said nuts may be rotated relative to said carrier, said nuts adapted to translate rotary motion of the ram screw to a linear motion of the ram carrier relative to said screw for effecting longitudinal movement of the ram relative to the ram carrier, and to automatically lock the ram screw relative to the ram carrier after each rotation of said screw and to impart the reciprocating motion of the ram. carrier to the ram.

2. The combination with a shaper including a ram, a rotatable ram screw secured to and carried by said ram, means for rotating said ram screw, of a ram carrier including a pair of laterally spaced abutments each of which is provided with a ram screw opening through which the ram screw slidably extends, a pair of ram screw nuts mounted between the abutments of the ram. carrier in threaded engagement with said ram screw, means interconnecting said nuts for yieldingly cost of rotating them in opposite directions on said ram screw and into jamming relationship with the adjacent abutments, the lateral distance between said abutments being of a dimension equal to the width of said nuts plus a clearance dimension equal to the amount by which the nuts must be backed away from their respective abutments in order to facilitate rotation of the ram screw relative to the ram carrier, said nuts adapted to translate rotary motion of the ram screw to a linear motion of the ram carrier relative to said ram screw for effecting a longitudinal adjustment of the ram relative to the ram carrier, said nuts adapted to automatically become jammed against their adjacent abutments for automatically looking the ram screw relative to the ram carrier after each rotation of the ram screw.

3. The combination with a shaper including a ram, a rotatable ram screw secured to and carried by said ram, means for rotating said ram screw, of a ram carrier including a pair of laterally spaced abutments each of which is provided with a ram screw opening through which the ram screw slidably extends, a pair of ram screw nuts mounted between the abutments of the ram carrier in threaded engagement with said ram screw, cooperating means on said nuts and ram carrier for limiting the rotation of said nuts relative to the ram. screw to less than one-half a turn, means interconnecting said nuts for yieldingly rotating them in opposite directions on said ram screw and into jamming relationship with their adjacent abutments, the lateral distance between said abutments being of a dimension equal to the width of said nuts plus a clearance dimension equal to the amount by which the nuts must be backed away from their respective abutments in order to facilitate rotation of the ram screw relative to the ram carrier, said nuts adapted to translate rotary motion of the raw screw to a linear motion of the ram carrier relative to said ram screw for effecting a longitudinal adjustment of the ram relative to the ram carrier, said nuts adapted to automatically become jammed against their adjacent abutments for automatically locking the ram screw relative to the ram carrier after each rotation of the ram screw.

4. The combination with a shaper including a ram, a rotatable ram screw secured to and carried by said ram, means for rotating said ram screw, of a ram carrier including a pair of laterally spaced abutments each of which is provided with a ram screw opening through which the ram screw slidably extends, a pair of ram screw nuts mounted'between the abutments of the ram carrier in threaded engagement with said ram screw, a pair of thrust bearings interposed one each between the adjacent faces of a nut and its corresponding abutment, cooperating means on said nuts and ram carrier for limiting the rotation of said nut relative to the ram screw to less than one-half a turn, means interconnecting said nuts for yieldingly rotating them in opposite directions on said ram screw and into jamming relationship with their adjacent abutments, the lateral distance between said abutments being of a dimension equal to the width of said thrust bearings plus the width of said nuts, plus a clearance dimension equal to the amount by which the nuts must be backed away from their respective thrust bearings in order to facilitate rotation of the ram screw relative to the ram carrier, said nuts adapted to translate rotary motion of the ram screw to a linear motion of the ram carrier relative to said ram screw for effecting a longitudinal adjustment of th ram relative to the ram carrier, said nuts adapted to automatically become jammed against their adjacent thrust bearings for automatically locking the ram screw relative to the ram carrier after each rotation of the ram screw.

DAVID E. MILLS.

WILLIAM H. H. DRAKE.

HOWARD E. LAUBACI-I. 

